Time switch



June 28, 1949. E. v. PLATT v2,474,494

TIME SWITCH Filed 001;. 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet l I vINVENTOR. [Kldif/ 7 3];

June 28, 1949. -r 2,474,494

TIME SWITCH Filed Oct. 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY M44. W i

3 the rear side of the front plate I5. This threearmed spider has a rearwardly projecting arm I6 provided with a downwardly turned shoulder and has two laterally projecting arms I! and I9. The arm I! is connected to one end of a return spring is which constantly urges the spider in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 5. A rocking and sliding cradle 20 is arranged to rock and slide and is biased upwardly as viewed in Figure by means of the spring 2| and normally is in one or the other of the positions shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7. The springs I9 and 2I have been omitted in Figure 4 for clearness. The arms I1 and I3 bear against shoulders 22, see Figure 6, formed on the side flanges of the cradle 20. Thus when the switch operating lever I2 is rocked in either direction one or the other of the arms I! or I8 bearing against the shoulder 22 moves the cradle downwardly as viewed in Figures 5, 6, and 7. The arm l6 of the spider tensions the hairpin spring 23 whose ends bear on opposite sides against a lug 24 formed integrallywith the cradle and thus biases the cradle '20 towards rocking motion. It is restrained against rocking motion by means of a lug 25 integral with the lower end of the cradle, as viewed in Figure 5, which normally fits within the notch 26 or the notch 21 formed in the face plate and separated by a barrier 28. Thus it will 'be seen that the trippers I,

8, and 9 rock the switch operating lever I2 which through the medium of the shaft I2, the spider arms I6, l1, and I8, and the spring 23, causes sliding and rocking of the cradle 20.

The details of the construction thus far described, with the exception of the particular arrangement of the barrier 28 and notches 26 and 21, is identically the same as that set forth in the above noted patent. Sufiice it to say at this point, that when the switch operating leve I2 is rocked in either direction that the cradle 20 is biased for rocking motion in the same direction and is also moved downwardly so as to release its latch or lug 25 and allow it to suddenly snap over to the other side.

The cradle 29 is operatively connected to a lever 29, see Figure 4, provided with a head 30', see Figures 5, 6, and 7, located between the side walls of the cradle 20 so that when the cradle rocks the lever 29 is also rocked. The lever 29 carries an insulating pin 3| provided with a cam portion 32, see Figures 4, 8, 9, and 10. Thus the switch operating arm may be considered to include the insulating pin 3| and its integral insu lating cam portion 32. The insulating pin 3! passes through an enlarged opening 30 in the rear plate 2 as shown in Figures 8, 9, and 10. The

.insulating portions 3| and 32 of the switch operating arm are arranged to respectively control the action of the movable contact arms 33 and 34, such arms being provided with movable contacts 35 and 35 arranged to respectively engage or disengage the corresponding stationary contacts 37 and 38. The movable contact 35 is connected to one side of a bright light 39, the other side being connected to the alternating current power mains 4!). The movable contact 36 is connected to one side of the dim light 4|, the other side of such dim light being connected to one side of the mains 43. The other side of the mains is connected to the stationary contacts 31 and 38.

Assume that the switch is in open position or, in other words, that both the dim and the bright lights are cut oiT. This position of the switch parts is shown in Figure 10 and the position of the cradle is shown in Figure '7.

The tripper 1 is set at the desired position on the timing dial for the bright lights to be turned on. When the dial 5 rotates the tripper I moves the switch operating lever I 2 to the left as viewed in Figures 1, 2, and 3. This causes the lever 23 and the pin 3| and its cam portion 32 to suddenly move to the position shown in Figure 8, thus completing the bright-light circuit. The bright light is left on for the desired length of time. When it is desired to turn on the dim light, the tripper 8 comes into play. This tripper is set at the correct point when it is desired to extinguish the bright light and to turn on the dim light so as to allow the chickens to go to roost.

It is to be noted that the tripper ii is provided with an operating portion I3, see Figure 2, and this operating portion rocks the switch operating arm or lever I2 to the right, as shown in Figure 2, and holds it in this position for a limited time depending on the width of the cam member II of the switch operating lever or arm I2. This dim light 4i therefore, remains on for a limited time. The position of the switch parts at this time is shown in Figure 9. This allows time for the chickens to find their roosts. Thereafter the operating portion I3 of the tripper 8 rides off the cam portion II of the switch operating lever or arm I2 and allows the cradle to be returned to its neutral position through the action of the spring I9. This is shown in Figure '7. When this occurs the cam portion 32 rides to the position shown in Figure 10 and opens the dim light circuit. At the same time the insulating pin 3I holds the bright circuit open.

Although it would not be useful for the control of lighting of hen houses it might be desirable for some other uses to provide a second tripper 9 for turning on the dim light for a short period a second time. This tripper would be constructed in identically the same manner as the tripper 8. It is to be noted that in each instance hereinabove described a quick make and a quick break was obtained. However, in view of the fact that that the tripper 9 moves the lever I2 towards the position shown in Figure 2 a second lug or shoulder 42 is provided on the front plate I5. The position of the parts before the tripper 9 again turns on the dim lights is shown in Figure 3. After the switch operating lever or arm I2 has been rocked a sufiicient degree to the right as viewed in Figure 2, the latching lug 25 of the cradle snaps past the shoulder 42 and rides up on the shoulder to the position shown in Figure 2.

It is to be noted that all of the acts of the switch which either make or break are quick no matter whether there is a repetition of the turning on of the dim light or not. The first time the dim lights are turned on the lug 25 rode clear over the barrier 28 onto the top of the shoulder 42 at one stroke. On the second turning on of the dim light, as described hereinabove, the lug 25 suddenly snaps past and on top of the shoulder 42.

Usually it is not necessary to have the second turning on of the dim lights. If it is not desired to turn on the dim lights a second time, the tripper 9, see Figure l, is omitted.

A further form of the invention is shown in Figure 11 and will now be described. This form of the invention is identical with that hereinabove described except that there is only a single barrier 28 corresponding to the barrier 28 hereinabove described. In other words, the front plate I5 of the time switch as shown in Figure 11 is not provided with the shoulder 42 as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7.

It is to be noted that the width of the slot 43, see Figure 11, is considerably greater than the width in slot 44. This allows plenty of room for the travel of the lug 25 of the cradle to the right, as viewed in Figure 11, to turn on the dim lights as hereinabove described. After the switch operating lever or arm is released by the dim tripper 8', see Figure 11, the return spring 19, see Figure 5, moves the lug 25 to the left as viewed in Figure 11 against the right side of the barrier 28 and thus the switch is held in its open or neutral position for both the dim and bright lights.

It is to be noted that when the bright light is on that the switch operating cam mean 3|, 32 is at its farthest position to the right as viewed in Figure 8. On the other hand, when the dim light circuit is on and the bright light circuit is open, the cam means 3|, 32 has moved to its farthest position to the left as viewed in Figure 9 and as will be seen from such figure the upturned end 45 of the movable contact arm 34 is free to move upwardly and allow the closing of the dim circuit contacts.

When the cradle is released and moves back to its neutral position the cam means 3|, 32 moves towards the right from the position shown in Figure 9 to that shown in Figure and the cam portion 32 of the cam operating means rides up on the curved upper end of the upturned portion 45 of the movable contact arm 34. However, this limited motion to the right of the cam means 3|, 32 does not allow the upper movable contact arm 33 to close the bright light contacts. It is to be noted also that there is a rocking or slight turning motion of the cam means 32 which aids in the above results.

It is to be noted that the slot in which the lug 25 operates is provided with end portions and that these end portions constitute stops which are located on opposite sides of the intermediate barrier or member 28 or '28 and that they are located at different distances from this intermediate barrier.

It will be seen that a novel form of time switch has been provided which will turn on a bright light in a hen house, for instance during the late afternoon, which allows the bright light to remain on as long as desired and which will then turn on a dim light and cut off the bright light, thus allowing time for the chickens to find their roosts safely. Thereafter the dim light is cut off.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be understood that such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, as the invention may be variously embodied and is to be interpreted as claimed.

I claim:

1. A time switch comprising motor driven timing means including a first tripper and a second tripper, a switch operating arm arranged to be moved in a first and a second direction by said first and second trippers, respectively, a sliding and rocking cradle, spring means between said cradle and said arm for storing up energy when said arm is rocked, latching means including a barrier and a lu carried by said cradle for latching said cradle, means operated by said arm for unlatching said cradle from said barrier by sliding said cradle, a first and a second switch operated by said cradle and arranged to alternately close and open when said arm is moved to said first and second positions, respectively, to correspondingly rock said cradle, a first stop located on one side of said barrier and spaced therefrom and a second stop located on the other side of said barrier and spaced therefrom a greater distance than said first stop, biasing means biasing said cradle towards said first stop for said first position of said arm, said second tripper being arranged to temporarily hold said arm against said second stop for said second position of said arm and arranged to subsequently release said arm for motion due to said biasing means, said barrier being efiective to stop said cradle in a neutral position with both said switches open.

2. A time switch comprising motor driven timing means, a first and a second switch each biased towards closed position, switch operating means for alternately moving said switches to open position, said switch operating means having a neutral position arranged to hold both switches simultaneously in open position, said switch operating means including a cradle having sliding and rocking motion and having a latching lug, a plate having a slot provided with a relatively small notch at one end and an elonagted notch at the other end having a barrier between said notches coacting with said lu to form latching means for said cradle, a spider and a spring arranged to shift said cradle to release said latch from said barrier and store energy in said spring when said spider is rocked to move said cradle to either end of said slot and a plurality of tripping means carried by said timing means for actuating said spider, at least one of said tripping means being effective to hold said cradle with its latching lug in the outer end of said elongated notch, and spring biasing means biasing said cradle to move said lug towards said relatively small notch.

3. A time switch comprising motor driven timing means, a first and a second switch each biased towards closed position, switch operating means for alternately moving said switches to open position, said switch operating means having a neutral position arranged to hold both switches simultaneously in open position, said switch operating means including a cradle having sliding and rocking motion and having a latching lug, a plate having a slot provided with a relatively small notch at one end and an elongated notch at the other end having a barrier between said notches coacting with said lug to form latching means for said cradle, a spider and a spring arranged to shift said cradle to release said latch from said barrier and store energy in said spring when said spider is rocked to move said cradle to either end of said slot and a plurality of tripping means carried by said timing means for actuating said spider, at least two of said tripping means being effective to hold said cradle with its latching lug in the outer end of said elongated notch, and spring biasing means biasing said cradle to move said lug towards said relatively Small notch, said elongated notch having a shouldered portion adjacent its outer end.

EDWARD V. PLATT.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Swensen Aug. 5, 1941 Number 

